NAS!! Got it real bad and looking at the D700.

[Quicklabs]

Amazon has it for $2350; its $2700 at B&H. So what's up with the Amazon do you think? $350 is some serious dough. Do you think the Amazon is grey market?

Seems a shame to attach my sweet 24-70 to my humble D80. Would add the Nikon 70-200 or 80-200 2.8 to my collection as well.

So, for a FF, I'd have the 24-70mm 2.8, the 80-200mm, Sigma 150 2.8 and the Nikon 50 1.8. I think that would be a pretty good kit. Eventually, I'd look to get the 85 1.4..

Would keep the D80 for awhile to keep the dirty thirty, the 10-20mm and my 18-200 company until I can replace those.



Want to pull the trigger on the D700, but suspicious about a deal that seem too good to be true? Whaddya think, DIS friends?

 

[annnewjerz]

LAURA!! Talk about a bad case of NAS. You went from "I'll hold off on the D300 until the next generation comes out" to "I'm pulling the trigger on the D700!"

I think someone needs to go to a meeting asap, or maybe just repeat the twelve steps to themselves over and over.

Seriously though, when did you make this decision? I'm sure you will loooooooooooooooooooove it if you upgrade but if you do, no more taunting me about how I can't keep my NAS under control. That would be the bigggggggggggg pot calling the little tiny kettle black.

I have always had good luck with Amazon. $350 is a pretty good savings though, does it say anything in the description about being grey market? I think Amazon is pretty reputable---if you are buying through Amazon directly rather a third party via Amazon, I'd go for it.

 

[wenrob]

If it's through Amazon themselves (or BH or Adorama) I say go for it. They have deals out of the blue all the time. I regularly buy stuff from them that's significantly less all the time, never had a problem.

 

[Quicklabs]

I'm planning to back to school and study photography. The new post GI-bill will pay my all my tuition, books and give me a stipend. And that's the long term (5 year) plan. I've looked at some programs that will give me my dream degree, a Bachelor of Fine arts with a photography specialization. Who knows? Maybe I can even make some $$ at this someday. In the meantime, life is so darn short. I see that every day. Photography lowers my blood pressure. It makes me happy. It keeps me out of my husband's hair. He doesn't care, as long as I let him play golf. My job is decent and secure (peace isn't about to break out anytime soon). So why not? Ya can't take it with you, right?

And BTW, Ms. Lucas --you are NO tiny little kettle! LOL

Wenrob, yes-it's directly through Amazon, not a third party. No indication of grey market either way.

LAURA!! Talk about a bad case of NAS. You went from "I'll hold off on the D300 until the next generation comes out" to "I'm pulling the trigger on the D700!"

I think someone needs to go to a meeting asap, or maybe just repeat the twelve steps to themselves over and over.

Seriously though, when did you make this decision? I'm sure you will loooooooooooooooooooove it if you upgrade but if you do, no more taunting me about how I can't keep my NAS under control. That would be the bigggggggggggg pot calling the little tiny kettle black.

I have always had good luck with Amazon. $350 is a pretty good savings though, does it say anything in the description about being grey market? I think Amazon is pretty reputable---if you are buying through Amazon directly rather a third party via Amazon, I'd go for it.

 

[spinetnglr]

I would say go for it and dont look back life is way to short to pass on the things that truly make you happy. I would say there is probably no reasonable explanation for the sale price at Amazon but if you can save $350 I say go for it!! When I purchased my D300 back in January I had been stalking all the usual online outlets for a good deal. One day Amazon had it for about $100 less than the others so I pulled the trigger. When the weekend was over the price went back up and about a week after that Nikon raised the prices on everything and it was even more expensive. I admittedly have had some bad cases of NAS but never quite to your extreme. Good luck and congrats if you go for it .... with both the camera and the degree !!

 

[annnewjerz]

I'm planning to back to school and study photography. The new post GI-bill will pay my all my tuition, books and give me a stipend. And that's the long term (5 year) plan. I've looked at some programs that will give me my dream degree, a Bachelor of Fine arts with a photography specialization. Who knows? Maybe I can even make some $$ at this someday. In the meantime, life is so darn short. I see that every day. Photography lowers my blood pressure. It makes me happy. It keeps me out of my husband's hair. He doesn't care, as long as I let him play golf. My job is decent and secure (peace isn't about to break out anytime soon). So why not? Ya can't take it with you, right?

That's GREAT. I didn't even know the regular GI Bill would cover that. Any idea if it can be used for spouses??

I completely understand what you mean. Everyone should be so lucky as to make a profession out of doing something they truly enjoy and if you can make it happen that would be awesome. I'm just teasin' ya! If I had the dough to drop on the D700 or some nicer glass right now, you can bet your butt I would be too!!

If you do get it, promise not to out-do me too badly during your November trip. I wouldn't want to come back in December having to compare all of my cruddy Boardwalk shots to your fabulous D700 Boardwalk shots.

And BTW, Ms. Lucas --you are NO tiny little kettle! LOL

DH might have to agree with you.

 

[Gdad]

You will not regret this amazing camera I promise.

Just beware of 'Amazon Marketplace' as I got burned there once on a too-good-to-be-true D80 for several hundred under the going rate and had to file a claim with American Express to get a refund.

 

[dmccarty]

I bought the D700 earlier this year. I really needed the high ISO that my D200 could not do... I don't like spending money. Especially D700 kinda money. My first pro level camera was a F100. It was amazing to use. Expensive though. But worth it. Since the D200 was about the same price I was not pushing to new camera spending limits.

But I was not getting photos in low light. So I went pushed up my spending limit on the D700. It took months for me to prepare mentally for this limit expansion. By the time I bought the D700 price had increased.

Put simply, the D700 is the best camera I have ever had in 25ish years I have been using SLR/DSLR's. If you can afford the camera and have the lenses to exploit the D700 go for it. You won't regret it.

I have taken photos at my kids events where there where many parents had decent SLR/DSLR with good lenses. The light was good for the human Mark I eyeball. Not so much for photography. After awhile most people stopped taking photos since there just was not good light. I got some decent photos because of the D700. I was having to use a 180/F2.8 opened to 2.8-4.0 and ISO at 2000-3200.

I have not had the camera more than 3-4 months but I have already taken more photos, 2900ish, than I did on my D200 which was about 18 months old. The D700 is just an awesome camera. Since you already have good lenses to work on FF go for the D700 if you can afford it.

Later,
Dan

 

[Suburbanmom]

Buy it, Laura!
Call me!
I'll come over and visit it!
I'll let you use my 70-200mm again!
Buy it, Laura!

 

[MarkBarbieri]

I can definitely see being seduced by the D700. Not to take away anything from their older offerings, but the D3/D700 represent probably the biggest leap over their predecessors of any camera models I've seen. They are amazing cameras.

Look at GDad. He's not even a good photographer and yet he gets awesome shots with his D700. Really creative. Interesting angles. Lots of play with light. If he can get those shots, imagine what you could do.

Just be prepared to put in a lot of work once you get the camera. Better gear almost always requires more effort to take advantage of what it can do.

Then again, the D3X is even better. That's a hot piece of equipment. If I were a Nikon guy, I'd be sweating trying to keep from buying it.

 

[handicap18]

I bought my D300 from amazon and at the time it was $200 less than everyone else. It was perfectly fine. No issues with grey market or anything. Just my $0.06 (gutta count for inflation)

 

[Quicklabs]

There's no way I'll ever be as skilled as Jeff or you or some of the other amazing folks here. And I definitely know it's not the camera that makes the picture....
But--I like to learn, (some have even told me from time to time that I'm at least as teachable as my dogs) and I'm always up for a challenge.

Look at GDad. He's not even a good photographer and yet he gets awesome shots with his D700. Really creative. Interesting angles. Lots of play with light. If he can get those shots, imagine what you could do.

Just be prepared to put in a lot of work once you get the camera. Better gear almost always requires more effort to take advantage of what it can do.

Then again, the D3X is even better. That's a hot piece of equipment. If I were a Nikon guy, I'd be sweating trying to keep from buying it.

 

[annnewjerz]

There's no way I'll ever be as skilled as Jeff or you or some of the other amazing folks here. And I definitely know it's not the camera that makes the picture....
But--I like to learn, (some have even told me from time to time that I'm at least as teachable as my dogs) and I'm always up for a challenge.

Don't sell yourself short! If someone were to tell me I was as teachable as my dogs, I would be extremely offended---but your dogs can do LAUNDRY!! I am sure that with a little studying, a few months to work out the learning curves and a lot of practice---you'll do juuuuust fine. Now order it already!!

 

[Gdad]

Perhaps it's time I confess all I have is a D70 with an extra '0' Dymo label stuck on the end.

 

[YesDear]

Jeff lies! I have seen it and touched it! The D700 that is!

Go ahead and get a D700. Make me jealous! I just do not care!!! LOL

 

[Evad]

Perhaps it's time I confess all I have is a D70 with an extra '0' Dymo label stuck on the end.

 

[DisneySuiteFreak]

I'm drooling...But it's too expensive for me since I'm just a hobbyist who is still learning!I would love that 25000+ ISO though! I bet that would come in really handy for extreme low light shots.